Carton forming machines



July 25, 1967 R. GARWOOD 3,332,325

CARTON FORMING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A-r-roransys July 25, 1967 R. GARWOOD CARTON FORMING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 1, 1965 Devan-roe AT-roeuaws July 25, 1%67 R. GARWOOD 3,332,325

CARTON FORMING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5' United States Patent 3,332,325 CARTGN FORMING MACHINES Roy Garwood, Rayleigh, Essex, England, assignor to Pembroke Carton and Printing Company Limited, Essex, England, a British company Filed Feb. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 429,376 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Jan. 31, 1964, 4,349/ 64 9 Claims. (6]. 93-51) This invention concerns improvements relating to carton erecting machines of the die-plunger type for converting carton blanks into erected carton form.

As is well known, a die-plunger type of carton folding machine comprises a frame on which is mounted a reciprocable plunger assembly comprising a generally rectangular sectioned plunger block which, on its advancing stroke is forced through the aperture of a correspondingly shaped die carried by the frame thereby to erect the side panels of the carton blank, the side forming panels of the A blank being upfolded by the die as the blank is forced through the die by the plunger block, against the sides of the plunger block.

There are various known forms of carton which may be erected in machines of this type, but the present invention relates more particularly, although not exclusively, to die plunger machines for erecting cartons of the kind generally referred to as roll-over end or side lock cartons. For the purpose of the present specification it is sufficient to understand that in cartons of this kind two opposite side or end forming panels of the carton blank have extended or roll-over panels at their top edges which are folded over into the partially erected carton into a locking position to hold erect the sides and ends of the finish erected carton.

It is already known in accordance with Patent No. 3,038,388, June 12, 1962, to provide a machine of the die-plunger type for erecting roll-over end or side lock cartons, the machine comprising jaw means projectable into the die aperture to grip the partially erected carton after its side panels and its front and rear panels have been upfolded in the die, so that on the return stroke of the plunger block out of the die, the partially erected carton is stripped off the plunger block and supported in the die aperture, folding means, for example fingers, mounted in the die and movable between a retracted and an operative position to fold inwardly into the carton into locking position the roll over panels of the carton and thereby finish erect the carton while the carton is supported in the die aperture by the jaw means, and means for retracting the jaw means to release the finish erected carton for ejection from the die.

The present invention is concerned with an improved ejecting mechanism for ejecting the finish erected carton from a die after its release by jaw members contained within the die. It is an object of this invention to provide a more reliable ejecting operation in carton forming machines, and this object is accomplished by the provision of a novel ejecting mechanism which includes a slidable member carried by an arm pivot-ally mounted in the die. The slidable member moves back and forth along the arm towards and away from an open end of the die aperture remote from the mouth of the die, and the slidable member is arranged to assist in the ejection of an erected carton from the die. Further, the slidable member functions to space a finish erected carton from a next following carton being erected so that jaw means within the die can grip the next following carton without impediment from the finish erected carton.

An ejection mechanism in accordance with the present invention is particularly applicable where the die and 3,332,325 Patented July 25, 1967 plunger assembly is arranged to operate substantially horizontally, so that gravitational action cannot be relied upon to move an ejected carton away from the next following carton to create a clearance for the jaw means to enter between them and grip the next following carton.

An embodiment of the invention is hereinafter described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a substantially horizontal arrangement of the die and plunger assembly,

FIG. 2 shows a form of carton blank which may be erected in the machine,

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of the die and plunger as seen in the direction III of FIG. 4,

F IG. 4 is a sectional elevational as seen in the direction IV of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a side view of an ejection mechanism to a larger scale, and

FIG. 6 is a rear view of such ejection mechanism.

A die-plunger type of machine 1 for erecting roll over side lock carton blanks such as 2 into carton form has its die and plunger assembly substantially horizontal and preferably upwardly inclined at a small angle from its mouth 3 to its opposite open end 4 through which the erected cartons 5 are ejected onto a ramp 6 leading to a fiat table top 7. The cartons are ejected on edge, that is to say with the floor of the carton normal to the surface of the ramp, the cartons standing each on one flat side one behind the other in a row. The purpose of this is to facilitate the handling of the erected cartons. Also, by lowering the mouth of the die in large machine, the feed ing of carton blanks to the machine magazine is facilitated, as compared with the usual vertical arrangement.

The machine die 8 presents a rectangular aperture or throug hway 9 which is provided on opposed front and rear side walls 10 and 11 corresponding with opposite front and rear sides 12 and 13 of the carton with pairs of jaw members 14. The jaw members are mounted on hinge .pivots 15 in recesses 16 in the die walls. The jaw members are hinged at their ends towards the mouth 3 of the die and extend towards the ejection end 4 of the die where the jaws proper are situated. The jaw mem bers may be swung on their hinge pivots to a position in which they are fully retracted into the die walls, The jaw members are normally held in a projected position each by a coiled compression spring 17 engaged between the jaw member and the die and in this position each pair of jaw members engages a stop bar 18 on the die Wall. The jaw members have camming surfaces 19 which then lie in the path of movement of the bottom panel 20 of a carton backed by the plunger block 21 of the plunger assembly 22 forced into die through the mouth of the die. The camming surfaces 19 each terminate in an overhanging lip 23 which has an interfacing lip 24 at the end of the jaw member remote from its hinge pivot. The lips 23, 24 form the jaws proper and are spaced apart in the direction of movement of the plunger assembly by an amount equal to the height of the carton front and rear side panels 12 and 13. As the plunger block moves through the die with a partially formed carton thereabout the bottom panel of the carton engages the camming surfaces 19 on the jaw members and pushes the jaw members back into their recesses in the die Walls. When the top edges of the front and rear side panels 12, 13 of the carton clear the edges of the first lips 23 the jaw members are pushed out by the springs 17 so that the second lips 24 engage under the bottom panel of the carton and the first lips 23 engage over the top edges of the front and rear panels of the carton.

At this instant, the plunger assembly reaches the end of its advancing stroke and commences to withdraw.

Slots 25 in the plunger block align with the jaw members and allow the block to return back past the projecting jaw lips.

The carton is thus stripped from the plunger block and remains supported in the die aperture by the jaw members for a finish erecting operation, for example by fingers 26 which are actuated between the positions indicated via a rod 27, to fold the roll-over panels 28 on the side panels 29 of the carton into the carton. Cover plates 26 enclose the finger mechanism.

After the finish erecting operation, the carton is ejected through the ejection end of the die utilising ejection mechanism according to the present invention which will now be described.

Mounted in a recess 30 in each of the two opposite side walls 31, 32 of the die aperture and midway of the width of such side walls is an arm 33 which extends in the direction of movement of the plunger assembly. The arms are supported on pivot pins 34 between mounting blocks 35 at their ends adjacent the mouth of the die and their free ends 36 project through the ejection end of the die.

Towards such free end, each arm has a pair of slots 37, 38 extending in the lengthwise direction of the arm, the slots intersecting at right angles and one slot 37 lying normal to the wall of the die in which the arm is housed. A slidable member 39 is mounted in the slot normal to the wall and is slidable to and fro along the slot. A pin 40 carried by the slidable member, which is of T-shape with its stem 41 entered in the first slot 37, has its two ends 42 projecting respectively through opposite sides of the other slot 38. A pair of open coiled tension springs 43, one lying on each side of the arm, is connected between the arm pivot pin 34 and the pin 40 on the slidable member, these springs urging the slidable member to an initial position P1 on the arm in which it lies at the end of its slot remote from the free end of the arm.

A coiled compression spring 44 is provided engaged between the arm and the die and urging the arm to abut against a pair of cover plates 45 partially closing the arm recess in the die wall. In this position the slidable member projects into the die aperture in the path of the bottom panel of the next following carton being erected in the die by the plunger block. In the initial, projected position of the slidable members they engage over the top edge 46 of the side panels 29 of the finish erected carton. Since these top edges 46 of the side panels carry the roll-over panels 23, the slid-able members cannot be moved to this position until after the roll-over panels 28 have been folded into the carton. It is arranged, in the present example, that the roll-over panels are folded into the carton by the fingers 26 during the latter part of the withdrawal stroke of the plunger assembly immediately following the advancing stroke which partially erected the carton. j tat The bottom panel 20 of the next following carton engages the slidable members 39 just after the jaw members 14 have been pushed back into their recesses as previously explained thereby to release the finish erected carton gripped by the jaw members 14 for ejection through the ejection end of the die.

As the plunger assembly continues on its advancing stroke the plunger-block-backed bottom panel of the next following carton pushes the slidable members along their slots to an advanced position P2 and the slidable members, in turn, push the finish erected carton out through the ejection end of the die, at the same time moving the row of finished cartons up the ramp 6.

When the plunger assembly reaches the end of its ad- Vancing stroke, the jaw members 14 move in to grip the next following carton as previously explained, the ejected carton having been maintained spaced from the next following carton by the slidable members to allow the relevant jaw lips 24 to engage under the bottom panel of the next following carton.

A pair of rollers 47 or equivalent parts on the plunger assembly, one for each of the arms of the ejection mechanism, engage respectively camming faces 48 on the arms to push the arms back into their recesses as the plunger assembly moves through a small terminal part of its advancing stroke. When the arms are retracted in this way the slidable members 39 are withdrawn from beneath the bottom panel of the next following carton, which is now gripped by the jaw members, 14. The slidable members 39 are, in consequence, free to move in the arm recesses back along their slots in the arms to their initial position on the arms and are so moved by the open coiled tension springs 43. The compression springs 44 urging the arms to project the slidable members 39 into the die aperture hold the slidable members against the side panels of the next following carton as the slidable members return to their initial position until they clear the top edge 46 of the side panels 29. At this stage the roll-over panels 28 at such top edges are still to be folded into the carton by the fingers 26 and the slidable members come to rest against the outside of the roll-over panels ready to move in over the top edges 46 of the side panels 29 when the roll-over panels are so folded and thereby position themselves ready for the next ejection action.

The roll-over panels 28 lock corner flaps 49 against the side panels 29, with margins 50 of the roll-over panels 28 seating against the bottom panel 20.

Each roller 47 operates in a slot 51 between the cover plates 45 of the recess 30 housing the arm which presents its camming surface 48 to lie in the slot so as to be engaged by the roller. The cover plates cover over only a part of the recess adjacent the mouth of the die, the remainder of the recess being open for the to and fro movement of the slidable member.

To allow the plunger block to move back past the slidable members 39 during the return stroke of the plunger assembly slots 52 are provided in the plunger block aligning with the slidable members and through which the slidable members can pass.

As described, two identical ejecting mechanisms are provided opposite each other in the die, and this arrangement is preferred to balance the forces acting on the carton during ejection. The ejecting mechanisms have been described as in the pair of opposed side walls of the die not presenting the jaw members. However, the ejecting mechanisms may equally well be located in the same pair of side walls as the jaw members; such arr-angement would in fact be preferred in a case where the carton presented a lid panel which would be arranged to lie against a side wall of the die not presenting the jaw members or the ejecting mechanisms.

As explained, the die and plunger assembly is preferably substantially horizontal ancl where the drawings illustrate a vertical arrangement this is primarily for convenience of understanding the invention in relation to the prior art.

I claim:

1. In a carton erecting machine of the die plunger type having jaw means in the die to support a partially erected carton in the die for a finish erecting operation after the plunger block has been withdrawn from the carton, and means for retracting the jaw means to release the carton for ejection from the die after the finish erecting operation; ejecting mechanism for ejecting the finish erected carton from the die after its release by the jaw means, the ejecting mechanism comprising an arm pivotally mounted in the die, a slidable member carried by the arm so as to be movable to and fro along the arm towards and away from an open end of the die aperture remote from the mouth of the die and through which the carton is to be ejected, means to urge the slidable member to an initial position furthe-rmost from said open end of the die, said slidable member being adapted to be engaged by the bottom panel of a plunger-block-backed carton during an advancing stroke of the plunger to erect such carton in the die, the slidable member having engaged a top edge of one of the side walls of a carton previously finish erected within the die aperture and having been advanced by the advancing plunger-block-backed carton to eject the finish erected carton from the die, and means to urge the arm from a retracted position in which the slidable member is withdrawn from within the die aperture to a position in which the slidable member projects into the die aperture.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein the slidable member is of a size and configuration to space apart the finish erected carton and the next following carton being erected such that the jaw means is able to grip said next following carton without impediment from the finish erected carton.

3. A machine according to claim 2 including means to displace the arm to its retracted position after the finish erected carton has been ejected from the die whereby the slidable member is released from beneath the following carton and is returned to its initial position on the arm, the arm thereafter being urged to project the slidable member into the die aperture for the next ejection action.

4. A machine according to claim 3 wherein the arm presents a camming face to be engaged by a part on the plunger block so as to displace the arm to its retracted position.

5. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein a first spring means acts to urge the slidable member to its initial position, and a second spring means acts to urge the arm to project the slidable member into the die aperture.

6. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein plate means is located in the wall of the die aperture against which the arm abuts in the position of the arm in which the slidable member projects into the aperture.

7. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein the plunger block presents a slot aligning with the slidable member and through which the slidable member passes during a return stroke of the plunger block.

8. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein two identical ejecting mechanisms are provided opposite each other in the die.

9. A machine in accordance with claim 1 having the die and plunger assembly arranged to operate substantially horizontally.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,819,660 1/1958 Johnson 9351 3,038,388 6/1962 Gage 93-51 3,102,457 9/1963 Walker 935l BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CARTON ERECTING MACHINE OF THE DIE PLUNGER TYPE HAVING JAW MEANS IN THE DIE TO SUPPORT A PARTIALLY ERECTED CARTON IN THE DIE FOR A FINISH ERECTING OPERATION AFTER THE PLUNGER BLOCK HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM THE CARTON, AND MEANS FOR RETRACTING THE JAW MEANS TO RELEASE THE CARTON FOR EJECTION FROM THE DIE AFTER THE FINISH ERECTING OPERATION; EJECTING MECHANISM FOR EJECTING THE FINISH ERECTED CARTON FROM THE DIE AFTER ITS RELEASE BY THE JAW MEANS, THE EJECTING MECHANISM COMPRISING AN ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN THE DIE, A SLIDABLE MEMBER CARRIED BY THE ARM SO AS TO BE MOVABLE TO AND FRO ALONG THE ARM TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM AN OPEN END OF THE DIE APERTURE REMOTE FROM THE MOUTH OF THE DIE AND THROUGH WHICH THE CARTON IS TO BE EJECTED, MEANS TO URGE THE SLIDABLE MEMBER TO AN INITIAL POSITION FURTHERMOST FROM SAID OPEN END OF THE DIE, SAID SLIDABLE MEMBER BEING ADPATED TO BE ENGAGED BY THE BOTTOM PANEL OF A PLUNGER-BLOCK-BACKED CARTON DURING AN ADVANCING STROKE OF THE PLUNGER TO ERECT SUCH CARTON IN THE DIE, THE SLIDABLE MEMBER HAVING ENGAGED A TOP EDGE OF ONE OF THE SIDE WALLS OF A CARTON PREVIOUSLY FINISH ERECTED WITHIN THE DIE APERTURE AND HAVING BEEN ADVANCED BY THE ADVANCING PLUNGER-BLOCK-BACKED CARTON TO EJECT THE FINISH ERECTED CARTON FROM THE DIE, AND MEANS TO URGE THE ARM FROM A RETRACTED POSITION IN WHICH THE SLIDABLE MEMBER IS WITHDRAWN FROM WITHIN THE DIE APERTURE TO A POSITION IN WHICH THE SLIABLE MEMBER PROJECTS INTO THE DIE APERTURE. 